Phoned Eircom to cancel contract - Being charged €400 to do so

carrigal

I have been a home customer with Eircom for both phone and broadband for around ten years. Recently my husband and I have found we are not using the home phone very often. We received a 'Contract Change' letter dated 23/01/2015 advising us that the charges would increase in April and that we now had 30 days to downgrade or withdraw from our contract without penalty.

I phoned 1800 303 605 as advised in the letter and asked to cancel our contract.  The staff member was very reluctant to do so and continued to offer me a range of deals including a €38 per month bill and a €30 discount on our next bill if we stayed.  I was somewhat swayed by this offer and asked him to send out the information in the post.  Ten days later we have received nothing by post so I phoned the number again. This time the person I spoke to insisted that I had 'verbally agreed to a new contract' and that it would cost me €400 to disconnect as the contract had just started.

I feel this is completely unfair. For starters I have received nothing in writing from Eircom regarding this so called new contract. I have signed nothing and feel that I was mislead by the first agent I spoke to on the phone  when I initially called to cancel.

I really want to cancel the contract but do not believe I should have to pay anything to do so.  I am still within the 30 days period of the original dated latter and feel there must also be  a 'cooling off period' for this new contract that I was not even aware of.

Please advise of what I can do to get this resolved.  I can PM account details if required.

pmce4

you have 2 options here request the call is listened back to confirm if you did in fact agree to the extension over the phone. If you made it clear in the conversation that you required this detail in writing before agreeing then its a no brainer and they have no way of imposing the contract. You can also request the call details be sent to you for a small fee of approx 6 euros.
I am not too sure what the cooling off period is here but search the threads here and I am sure you will find an answer.

eircom: Alan

carrigal wrote: »

I have been a home customer with Eircom for both phone and broadband for around ten years. Recently my husband and I have found we are not using the home phone very often. We received a 'Contract Change' letter dated 23/01/2015 advising us that the charges would increase in April and that we now had 30 days to downgrade or withdraw from our contract without penalty.

I phoned 1800 303 605 as advised in the letter and asked to cancel our contract.  The staff member was very reluctant to do so and continued to offer me a range of deals including a €38 per month bill and a €30 discount on our next bill if we stayed.  I was somewhat swayed by this offer and asked him to send out the information in the post.  Ten days later we have received nothing by post so I phoned the number again. This time the person I spoke to insisted that I had 'verbally agreed to a new contract' and that it would cost me €400 to disconnect as the contract had just started.

I feel this is completely unfair. For starters I have received nothing in writing from Eircom regarding this so called new contract. I have signed nothing and feel that I was mislead by the first agent I spoke to on the phone  when I initially called to cancel.

I really want to cancel the contract but do not believe I should have to pay anything to do so.  I am still within the 30 days period of the original dated latter and feel there must also be  a 'cooling off period' for this new contract that I was not even aware of.

Please advise of what I can do to get this resolved.  I can PM account details if required.

Hi carrigal

If you would like to PM me the account number I will look in to this further. You stated above that you were 'somewhat swayed' by the offer, can you confirm if this means you accepted it? or requested more information?

Thanks
AL

carrigal

Al,
I requested more information in writing as I do not believe a verbal agreement holds any water. PM sent with the account number

eircom: Alan

carrigal wrote: »

Al,
I requested more information in writing as I do not believe a verbal agreement holds any water. PM sent with the account number

Thanks for the details carrigal

This is now under investigation and I will get back to you as soon as I have more information

Thanks
AL

carrigal

Thank you

eircom: Alan

carrigal wrote: »

Thank you

Hi carrigal

I am happy to confirm that the contract is now waived. There will be no early cease charges should you wish to cancel this account.

Thanks
Al

carrigal

Thank you Alan,

I will phone to cancel tonight.

eircom: Alan

carrigal wrote: »

Thank you Alan,

I will phone to cancel tonight.

You're welcome carrigal

Thanks
Al